


Dorado Falls

by dralexreid



Series: Dr Piper Bishop [70]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Fluff, Gen, Mental Health Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:48:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29212161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dralexreid/pseuds/dralexreid
Summary: An investigation into a mass murder at a new Internet security company in Charlottesville, Virginia, reveals the butchery is not the work of a typical workplace shooter. Meanwhile, Morgan oversees Prentiss' requisite recertification training.
Relationships: Dr Spencer Reid/Dr Piper Bishop
Series: Dr Piper Bishop [70]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1972852
Kudos: 12





	Dorado Falls

Emily made her familiar way through the east entrance of the office, meeting Derek in the lobby as they made their way up to their floor and she passed him a cup of coffee. “Oh, look at you, spoiling me. Thank you,” Derek said, smirking as he took the latte from her grasp. “Where’s yours?” he asked, noticing her empty palms.

“Oh, I quit caffeine. Trying to relax more,” Emily admitted as the elevator doors closed on them.

“Well, don't relax too much,” Derek said, enjoying the bombshell he was going to drop on her. “You got 10 hours of takedown and arrest procedure training to recertify.”

“Since when?” Emily sputtered.

“Since the hearing,” Derek chortled.

“Am I the only one?”

“Prentiss, you've been away.”

“So has Bishop!”

“Bishop was on duty for her 7 months.”

“Oh, yeah. Guess I can't complain,” Emily said, resignedly.

“Well, especially not to your trainer,” Derek scoffed, enjoying his latte.

“Oh! You're doing it?” Emily beamed.

“Don't get too excited. I'm about to put you through the wringer. You can believe that.” She watched him leave as the doors opened to their floor, pouting slightly as she followed him through the bullpen, dumping her bag on her desk before clambering up the steps to see Spencer hunched over a chair, JJ’s gaze fixed on Penelope, Piper trying to balance her empty paper cup on her forehead, Dave pouring himself a cup of coffee and Aaron prompting Penelope to start the briefing.

“Workplace massacre at Synalock this morning,” Penelope announced.

“Lemme guess, security company?” Piper tried, setting the cup upside down on the table.

“Yeah, located in Charlottesville,” Penelope said, doing a lap around the room as everyone settled into their seats. “Practically in our backyard.”

“That’s a high body count,” Emily said, seeing all the victims on the board.

“Yeah, 8 victims in total, all employees including the CEO. 5 were shot, 3 were stabbed to death.”

“Sliced, not stabbed,” Piper amended. “He slit their throats.”

“A gun and a knife, that’s highly unusual,” Spencer remarked.

“Could be two killers,” JJ suggested.

“That would be the first time for a workplace killing,” Dave countered.

“Have we looked at recently fired employees?” Piper asked. “Someone might have a vendetta against this particular office.”

“I will look into it,” Penelope announced.

“Synalock’s an internet security company, they didn’t have video surveillance?” Derek asked, turning to look at Penelope.

“They just moved into a new building, they didn’t have time to set up their system yet,” Penelope said forlornly.

“How is it that no-one heard or saw anything?” JJ asked.

“This killer was prepared,” Emily answered. “Highly organised, this was pre-meditated. Vendetta angle’s a good a place as any to start.”

“He kept his emotions contained though,” Aaron pointed out.

“Pretty hard to do for a typical workplace killer who’s mentally ill or outraged about some perceived injustice,” Spencer explained, and Piper nodded slowly, trying to piece together a different angle.

“The high body count indicates a hell of a lot of rage,” Dave announced.

“One employee, John Owen, was MIA. Local P.D. hasn't been able to locate him yet,” Penelope added.

“Bottom line is a mass killing is a classic show of force,” Derek said. “It's a way to become known.”

“Which is why suicide, often by cop, is usually part of the plan,” Spencer added helpfully.

“So, where's the unsub?” JJ asked.

“He’s got a reason to stay hidden,” Dave answered.

“He’s not finished yet,” Aaron said, bringing the briefing to a close and dismissing everyone to their SUVs.

* * *

“Just once, I’d like a case to be straightforward,” Piper sighed, looking around at the carnage in the office as Spencer snapped his gloves on.

“They wouldn’t need us if it was straightforward,” Spencer scoffed, squatting near the end of the office. “Position of the body suggests he was the last to die.”

“He probably just walked into all this. You can’t slice a throat from the front either which means the unsub…” Piper trailed off, stepping around him. “Probably crouched here if he was right-handed.”

“Or he tried to escape and make it to the exit,” Spencer countered.

“Touché,” Piper murmured, standing up, her gaze falling to the next victim. “She tried to hide, but he found her.”

“This one tried to run too,” Spencer muttered. “And the rest were shot at.” Piper’s eyes flickered around the scattered blood spatter patterns, trying to find a spot to see all of them…right outside the CEO’s office. Spencer watched her tread around the blood.

“So, he stood here, emptied his magazine, then switched to a knife. That’s methodical,” Piper said.

“He’d have to be physically fit and intimidating enough to subdue all these people,” Spencer said.

“That’s fine, but how did he get this far in?” Piper asked, a perplexed expression on her face. “He passed everyone through to this spot and then started killing.”

“And if it was pre-meditated, he would’ve brought enough ammunition to kill everyone.”

“Maybe they weren’t the target,” Piper mused. “Maybe the real target was the CEO.”

“Kills him first, comes out to mass panic, systematically gets rid of witnesses,” Spencer supplied.

“Here’s another puzzle for you. You’ve run out of ammo; you’ve got three witnesses left. Stabbing would be easier than slitting someone’s throat.” Spencer raised an eyebrow at her, smirking softly in amusement. “Spence, I carry knives in my boots. You can’t keep getting surprised by my very intimate knowledge of knife play.” Their amusement was cut short by Rossi and JJ emerging from the inner office.

“Our CEO is a decorated navy officer,” Rossi announced.

“I’ll get Garcia to look at navy connections,” Piper offered, stepping away from the carnage. “Maybe that’s the root of his anger.”

“Adam Werner, our CEO, was killed first,” Spencer relayed. “Which means the unsub made it all the way in here without alarming anyone. He wasn't threatening.”

“That's why Werner didn't pull the gun we found in his office,” Dave said.

“He could have been the missing employee,” JJ suggested. “He may have taken that photo from his office if he was in it.”

“Why would an employee be interested in Synalock's contracts?” Dave asked them.

“Maybe this is about one client,” Spencer offered. “He could be after specific company information.”

“He had another motive besides killing,” JJ surmised as Piper returned.

“Okay, quick update. Everyone else died a quick death except Werner. Werner had three taps to the chest, one headshot, execution style. Definite overkill. Pen also said that Synalock is clean as a whistle before quoting some old movie. No drama with the employees or the clients. I’ve got her started on naval connections.”

“What about our missing employee?” JJ tried.

“Doctor Who saved the day,” Piper said bitterly. “He’s at the San Diego convention.”

“Lucky guy,” Dave scoffed.

“I’ll say. That’s supposed to be an awesome convention,” Spencer said cheerfully, and Piper nodded sourly.

“The naval connection seems to make more sense anyway,” Piper provided. “The killing is clean and organised, suggests a military background.

“Werner was a Navy veteran. He had D.I.A. contracts. He had close ties to the military,” Dave added.

“It could be someone from his past harbouring an old grudge,” JJ said and the four of them started to head downstairs, only to be updated that there was another crime scene, not far from the security office. Spencer snickered at Piper grumbling until Rossi promised they’d get lunch after they stopped by the house.

Piper and Spencer snapped on gloves, taking the basement while Rossi met Aaron in the bedroom with JJ. “We know who the unsub is,” Aaron said ominously. “Luke Dolan, the victim’s son.”

“Why would he kill his parents?” JJ asked, but neither of them had an answer.

“Garcia confirmed he called Synalock this morning,” Aaron supplied as Dave gravitated to the boombox on the bed, using a pen to press play, letting rock music play. “You think he was masking the gunshots?”

“Or torturing them with the sound,” Rossi scoffed. “And why were they bound and gagged in the closet? Why not just kill them right away?”

“Maybe he was trying to get information from them,” JJ proposed.

“About what?” Hotch asked.

In the downstairs living room, Emily relayed what Garcia had found on Dolan to Derek, Piper and Spencer. Luke Dolan was in the same Navy unit as Adam Werner. They were both communication clerks at Camp Patriot in Kuwait. He has a wife that he separated from who lives in Bethesda with their 8-year-old daughter. It looked like he served in the navy for 13 years with an honourable discharge in 2005 but was now the VP of a biotech company. He’d never been a Synalock employee. Derek was quick to point out that the separation was too long ago to be the trigger. Spencer’s focus was on the journals and mementos leaving Piper to explain the relevance of PTSD to Luke Dolan’s rampage, telling them how if the disorder was bad enough, everyone could look like the enemy. When needed, Spencer added an incident in Vegas in 2005 when an Iraqi war vet assaulted two people, believing them to be enemy combatants, letting them come to the clear conclusion that this must be some form of a sustained flashback.

Eventually, Aaron, Dave and JJ came down to the living room to join them as Piper explained the concept of pathological disassociation as one of the markers of complex PTSD. It was completely possible for Luke to not even recognise his parents for enemies, but it was rare for it to appear without warning, considering it seemed, at least on paper, that he made a successful transition to civilian life. Spencer, in a timely manner, proceeded to hold up a notebook, proclaiming that Dolan had been going through this box of mementos and journals from his time in the navy, suggesting that he was on a mission.

Derek updated Hotch on what they’d found in the garage, specifically both Luke’s and his parents’ cars, suggesting he was smart enough to know it’d be tracked and was either on foot or he’d stolen another vehicle. Spencer was quick to add that if Luke was capable of doing this, he's rational and clear-thinking enough to evade his perceived enemies. Piper had the inkling of doubt of whether Luke, a communications clerk in the Navy, would have that kind of survival skills. Rossi added that Adam Werner, with a similar job description, had somehow earned a Navy Cross. But rather than entertain those doubts, Aaron insisted the profile had to be delivered as soon as possible to the media.

JJ slipped into her old role as a communications liaison like an old comfortable sweater as she stood in front of the press, a camera persisting into her view, holding a recent picture of Luke Dolan as she delivered the profile alongside Derek. Once that was wrapped up and roadblocks were issued, the profilers headed back to Quantico mostly to actually eat something.

Piper and Spencer were occupied at their desks and while she perused her old files and research guides, Spencer went through every textbook on PTSD available. Emily opted to have lunch in Derek’s office, partially due to wanting to hit Spencer every time he yelled ‘Aha!” succeeded by a small ‘never mind’ and partially to suck up to her trainer. JJ was with Penelope, running through databases like old times to retrieve documents illegally. Meanwhile, Dave tried to convince Aaron that something else was at play here. “Doesn’t it bother you that the first victim, Adam Werner, was given the Navy Cross in 2000?” Finally, his forehead wrinkled.

“We weren’t at war then,” the chief murmured as the two walked the catwalk towards the briefing room. Spencer caught their movement before bugging Piper to get up and join the rest of the team.

“Exactly,” Dave confirmed as they walked into the room occupied by JJ and Penelope. “You have to show extreme sacrifice, risk life and limb to win the second-highest medal of valour. So, what did a communications clerk do during peacetime to deserve it?”

“So, Garcia discovered part of Dolan's military records were encrypted,” JJ announced as the team filed in.

“And JJ just got the complete files from the Pentagon,” Garcia added excitedly as Derek moved around to her side from the back door of the briefing room.

“He wasn't a clerk,” JJ reported. “He was a Navy Seal.”

“Plot twist,” Piper muttered to Emily, taking a seat. Emily’s heart swelled to a crescendo at the terrible joke Piper made, a step closer to what they used to be.

“Werner was the seal team leader, Dolan was his number 2,” JJ continued. “Their unit was part of JSOC. They were involved in over 20 highly classified missions.”

“How many in 2000?” Dave asked.

“1,” Penelope answered quickly. “Operation Dorado Falls and oh!” Penelope exclaimed as something popped up on her dash. “Luke Dolan just evaded a roadblock near his wife's house. They searched the surrounding area. There's no sign of him.” Aaron and Dave left with Derek to reorganise the search party, bumping into Anderson who was waiting outside patiently.

“Uh, I’ve got Mrs Dolan and her daughter waiting outside.” Piper and Emily shared a look quickly before Emily asked to bring Mrs Dolan into the conference room while Piper occupied the daughter. Everyone filtered out to leave Emily waiting in the conference room and Piper left with Grant, heading down to meet the woman and her young daughter. Within minutes, Mrs Dolan had entered the room, shaking hands with Emily before taking a seat and watching as Emily turned the blind down. The last thing Emily saw was Piper at her desk with Ally who was currently busy teaching Piper how to play a hand-clapping game endearingly as Spencer watched. Jenna Dolan was insistent that Luke’s behaviour hadn’t changed much recently, at least since he dropped Ally off on Friday afternoon, that he’d never even mentioned Dorado Falls.

Downstairs, Spencer was supposed to be going through old cases involving PTSD and formulating a response plan, but he couldn’t shift his gaze from Piper who was currently thumb-wrestling with Ally and losing badly until Emily’s figure popped out. Piper gave Ally a small fist-bump before waving as the duo left to another room when Penelope burst through the glass doors with JJ, laptop in hand, and marching past them with a curt beckon. Piper glanced at Spencer in confusion, but he simply shrugged, swinging his hand into hers before leading her up the catwalk, only releasing when everyone gathered around the roundtable.

As it turned out, Mr Luke Dolan had been in a car accident on Friday at 6:02 pm, after he had dropped Ally off home. Hospital records said he suffered mild injuries and refused medical treatment. Spencer dismissed schizophrenia but Derek proposed drug use instead as a field sobriety test wouldn’t rule it out. Emily added that it could be an aneurysm or brain tumour, but Spencer noticed Piper’s foot tapping insistently. “What’s up?”

“Theoretically, if Luke had a nightmare about what happened in his mission, why would he call his captain first?”

“He thinks he’s in a combat situation,” Emily said simply.

“Then why call first?” Piper countered. “And if he thinks he’s in a combat situation, knowing you’re near your C.O. should be more soothing, right? Then the very next thing he does is call his parents before going there where, incidentally, all his navy journals and awards were kept. Then he kills them too.”

“Maybe he’s killing anyone who knew about the mission,” Derek proposed.

“Even his parents?” Penelope asked, outraged at the suggestion.

“It’s possible,” Piper said, still uncertain as Anderson knocked on the glass door of the conference room, updating them that another attempted homicide had happened. Each profiler filed out to the SUVs, packing into two cars. Emily, Piper, Spencer and Derek piled into one car with Aaron and David in another, both of them racing down the highway to the Milgram residence.

* * *

Spencer leaned against the kitchen counter next to a placating Derek who was trying to calm down a hyper Mrs Milgram while Emily and Piper looked through the house, playing through the scene. “The FBI is in charge of looking for your husband, but I need you to try to remember what Luke Dolan said,” Derek tried.

“I can't,” the woman protested. “It was gibberish.”

“Yes, you can. Just close your eyes.” He placed a warm hand on her shoulder. “Ma'am, I believe that you can. Just listen to the sound of my voice and you'll be fine.” She listened, breathing slowly as she closed her eyes. “Now, what were you doing before he broke into your house?”

“I was in the kitchen,” she said quietly. “I was pouring a drink for my husband. He takes me to the living room and ties me up.”

“What does he say?” Derek asked.

“He asks where his real parents are,” she said.

“Does he think your husband did something to them?” Derek asked again as Piper approached curiously and quietly.

“He says ‘you replaced them’?” she recited. “The replacements are dead.”

“Did he mention Dorado Falls?” Spencer asked, triggering her memory further.

“Yes,” she breathed. “And gaslighting. He was calm until he asked about his family, then he hits Boyd with his gun,” she said tearfully. Derek shared a look with Spencer as Piper rubbed the woman’s back. Derek guided her away, asking if there were any relatives she could stay with, leaving Spencer to talk to Piper.

“Where’s Emily?”

“Garage with Rossi and Hotch. I think I know what’s happening to Luke Dolan…and I think I know how we can find him,” Piper said, a small smirk on her face.

* * *

Everyone gathered in the living room with no leads. He hadn’t taken another car, using the same untraceable car to take General Boyd somewhere. The idea that Piper might have a lead was appetising to say the least. “It’s called Capgras syndrome,” Piper started. “It’s sort of a combination of a delusional disorder like prosopagnosia and paranoid schizophrenia with a sprinkle of dementia. It’s where one sense doesn’t elicit the same emotional response as another sense, for example, what you might hear won’t elicit the same response as what you see. The brain makes the natural assumption that the person they’re seeing must be an imposter because it can’t reconcile the two responses.” She caught onto the entire team pretending to understand and she sighed. It shouldn’t have come to this. “It’s like ‘The Invasion of the Body Snatchers’,” Piper said, disgusted that she’d had to rely on a horror film reference.

“So, how do you propose we find him?” Emily asked.

“Okay, now it’s an untested theory but I think all the evidence is there. We know that Luke called Adam this morning before meeting him and it was only after he saw him that Luke killed Adam. Then he called his parents before driving over and into the garage and going through the boxes. It isn’t until he sees his parents that he ties them up and kills them too.”

“You think his auditory connection is intact,” Spencer followed along.

“And if Boyd was the one who sent him on the mission in the first place, he would have blamed him for replacing his parents,” Derek added.

“And seeing him as an imposter would only confirm that reaction,” Dave continued.

“You still haven’t told us how we find him,” Aaron reminded her.

“Easy. We don’t,” Piper said. “We bring him to us.”

* * *

“I’m sorry, you want me to do what?” Mrs Dolan protested, stopping her pacing while Ally slept on the couch.

“If Luke thinks you’re still in danger, he will continue to hurt more people,” Piper explained. “But if you call him, tell him you’re safe and you’re with the FBI, he’ll let the General go.” Jenna Dolan started pacing again and Piper glanced out the window to see the entire team staring at the conference room.

“Could he hurt Ally?”

“Ma’am, you are in a building with hundreds of fully trained agents. There is no plausible danger to you or your daughter.”

“I don’t understand why he’s doing this,” Jenna exclaimed.

“He was in a car accident that we think triggered a delusional disorder. The only way he will believe you aren’t an imposter is if he hears your voice.” Jenna looked at Ally’s sleeping frame.

“You have any kids?”

“No, ma’am,” Piper said quietly, her gaze following Jenna’s.

“Then you won’t understand why I can’t do what you’re asking me,” Jenna said with finality, gazing at Piper with a pleading face. Piper understood when she was fighting a losing battle.

“Very well, ma’am. You should get some rest too,” Piper said, heading out of the room, shaking her head in defeat.

“What now?” Derek asked.

“We still have one last avenue,” Aaron said, his gaze falling to Dave as Piper joined the group. “You’re ex-Marine. He might trust you.”

JJ found the team huddled together, surrounding one desk in the bullpen, Anderson handling the monitor as she walked in, passing Rossi the file on Dorado Falls. She’d had to bully the file out of the Pentagon, subtle threats interlaced in her words to the official. The air was tense between the eight of them, Penelope over in her lair, praying that her software would work as she tracked the cell as Dave made contact with Luke Dolan. Emily was leaning back against a table, careful not to upset the carefully piled files next to Derek and JJ. Spencer had relinquished his desk for Rossi to use, sitting at Piper’s desk behind him instead while she was propped up on the curved table, her hand on Spencer’s shoulder, his warmth relieving some of her stress while Penelope updated them on an address. Aaron and Derek left immediately for the address while Dave asked Luke to explain his side of the story. But he only challenged Dave to go first. Hesitantly, the profiler picked up the file, starting to read. “Dorado Falls was the name of a boat off the coast of Cape Town. It was owned by a South African diplomat who was selling nuclear secrets to Iran.” Emily leaned over to JJ, whispering.

“So, what's the big secret?”

“There isn't one,” JJ said. “Don't get me wrong, lives were lost, but there's been far worse missions.” Emily nodded slowly, understanding.

“His mind chose Dorado Falls to build a conspiracy around,” Spencer whispered to Piper who simply shook her head.

“To the level where everyone he knows is an imposter?” Piper asked, her lips inches from his ear as she whispered to him. “Navy SEALs are screened for vulnerability to PTSD.”

“It must have been something pretty horrifying to shake him,” Spencer surmised, earning a quick nod from her.

Meanwhile, Aaron and Derek burst out of their SUV, guns unholstered as they charged into the darkness, a SWAT unit on standby as the armed duo burst through the gate into an empty lot. Instantly, Aaron called Penelope, asking for a rundown on buildings in the area and the years they were built. Within minutes, in perfect Garcia fashion, she had an address for them and in her lair, she prayed that they would come back safe, praying she hadn’t sent them into a death trap. But that was the job and outside, Emily bit her nails as Rossi kept reading the report of the mission.

“Intel failed to identify…” Rossi looked up at his team. “Two children aboard the boat,” he said slowly, and Spencer felt his shoulder squeezed tightly while Emily swivelled her head towards JJ who simply maintained her gaze at Dave.

“There was a chance to abort, but we were given orders to go ahead,” Luke said through the receiver. “Someone in the D.I.A. Made that final call. I never knew it was Milgram until now.”

“Sometimes collateral damage can't be avoided,” Rossi said, trying to sound genuine.

“You know, people that sit in offices always think that.” Luke retorted calmly. Dave glanced at Piper whose head had slipped into her hands, her fingers tangled in the roots of her hair as she tried to compartmentalise.

“You had to shoot those kids, didn't you?”

“They saw us. They would have blown the mission.”

“They were witnesses. Just like everyone at Synalock,” Dave realised slowly, glancing at Emily who passed around Morgan’s update. A SWAT team was beginning to infiltrate the suspected whereabouts of Luke Dolan; a warehouse built in the late 20’s.

“Someone wants revenge,” Luke announced. “We've always known that our own government might disavow us. They tried to buy Adam with the Navy Cross, but it didn't work, so they've replaced him with an imposter. And now they're taking my family one by one.”

“Listen, Jenna and Ally are safe,” Dave told him.

“You expect me to believe that? I know they’re coming after me.”

“I’ll make you an offer,” Dave tried. “You let Milgram go, and I’ll take his place.”

“I don’t want you, I want my family,” Luke clarified bitterly.

“The people who have them will not negotiate unless Milgram is free. But you need insurance, I get it,” Dave pleaded. “Let me take his place.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because I'm not just a guy behind a desk,” Rossi answered. “I was a marine with boots on the ground, just like you. I know what you've been through. I want you to get your family back.” He looked up as Emily answered a call from Hotch.

“They found the general,” Emily relayed with a sigh, putting her phone on speaker as the connection to Dolan cut out. “No sign of Dolan.”

“How’d he slip away?” JJ asked.

“Used a radio to mask his movements,” Aaron answered as Piper’s head lifted up.

“Looks like he’s on his way.” Emily nodded at Piper’s tired voice.

“I know the headspace he’s in right now,” Emily added. “There’s no risk he won’t take.”

“As a Navy SEAL, he did training here,” JJ announced. “He knows this place.”

“All right, alert the guard gates and secure the building,” Aaron directed. “Entry and exit through one door only.”

“An FBI police officer was just found shot to death in the academy parking structure,” Anderson said, looking up from his pager.

“He's already here,” Rossi said as Penelope joined them from her lair. The team scattered, getting to work as Penelope and Spencer retreated to her lair to keep an eye on office surveillance while Rossi and JJ briefed the base security team. Every tactical agent on their floor was arming themselves while Rossi told security to quietly search and seal off each floor. Piper had taken Ally to Derek’s office, telling her that they were going to build a fort against the door while Emily briefed Mrs Dolan on the plan. Nerves flared when Aaron and Derek made their way to the floor, making a beeline for Penelope’s office and escorting her down to the surveillance offices. So far, they had tracked Dolan to the 7th floor. Spencer alerted them that Navy Seals never start a mission without an exfiltration plan and asked them to check the exterior and elevator shafts for riggings. JJ, who was on a call with one of Dolan’s ex-team members, updated them to be on the lookout for explosives. Rossi’s nerves were on edge. He’d been the one to establish contact. He had to be the one to calm him down. The entire unit flinched as a phone rang out, the same phone that had been used to call Dolan. Flicking a switch, Rossi answered tentatively. “Is this Sergeant Major Rossi?” Luke’s voice rang out, low and treacherous.

“Yes. I was hoping you'd call, Luke,” Rossi answered genially. “Where are you?”

“Right behind you.” The room went dead silent as the remnants of the team turned around, seeing Dolan standing on the catwalk behind them, a remote in one hand, a submachine gun in the other. Derek and JJ were the first to grab their guns as the man stepped forward, the only thing between him and the team was one railing, a four-foot drop and one desk to clear. Spencer, easily ignored by Luke despite being the tallest in the room, moved to his landline on his desk, subtly using it to speed dial Piper, leaving the receiver open.

“All right. Luke, you don't want to be aiming that around,” Derek said, keeping his gaze trained on Luke, ignoring how Piper’s face slowly popped up against the glass. “Snipers have the building covered,” he lied. “You're in the crosshairs right now, I can guarantee that.”

“Windows are bulletproof,” Luke said, seeing right through him. “High-density Lexan, right?” Derek’s gaze didn’t flicker.

“I'm the one you want,” Dave said. “You can let my team go. No one is seeking revenge here. You've created this conspiracy in your own mind.”

“You took my family,” Luke insisted stubbornly, and Piper slid back down against the wall.

“To protect them from you after you murdered your own parents.”

“They were imposters. You have my real parents.” Inside the room, Piper reinforced the door as Ally crouched under Derek’s desk. She silenced her end of the call, crawling over to Ally, telling her it was okay to talk now.

“Is that Daddy?” Ally whispered. “Is he okay?”

“Your dad isn’t feeling well,” Piper said, careful not to speak too loudly. “He’s very worried about you, okay. Can you do me a favour, sweetheart? Can you tell your dad that you’re okay? That you’re with a doctor and you’re safe.” She nodded slowly and Piper handed her the phone.

“Daddy? Daddy, is that you?” Outside, Luke heard the sound of his daughter, warm and kind, flood through Spencer’s landline speaker and the team made a path for him to get closer to the phone line.

“Ally, sweetheart, where are you?”

“With Dr Bishop. She says you aren’t feeling well. Maybe you should lie down,” Ally said, clutching Piper’s phone.

“You’re with a doctor?” he asked, and Spencer conveniently moved to block Piper’s nameplate on her desk.

“Yeah, Daddy. She’s really nice. We’ve been playing all day and she even helped me with my homework for a bit.”

“That’s great, sweetheart. What about Mom?” Ally glanced at Piper hesitantly as she scribbled something on a notepad.

“She’s in another room, Daddy. She’s safe too. They’re gonna let us go home soon.” Piper smiled at Ally softly.

“I don’t believe it,” she heard him say quietly through the cell.

“Ally, why don’t you tell Dad your favourite thing to do with him?” Piper said quietly.

“Daddy, remember when you took us to see the mountains? You and me and Mom. It was really early in the morning and I kept telling you I wanted to go home the whole way up until you let me climb onto your shoulders and we all watched the sunrise. I want that, Daddy. I want to go home.” Tears streaked down the young girl’s face as she handed the phone to Piper who silenced the phone again.

“Good job, Ally,” Piper said, letting the girl melt into her arms as she stroked her back. “You did a great job, sweetheart.”

JJ and Derek kept their guns trained on Luke who demanded to see them. “I want to see Ally.”

“Then you have to do as I say,” Dave tried. “Put the gun down and close your eyes.” Slowly, Luke placed the gun on Piper’s desk and the belt of explosives but keeping the remote in his hand and his eyes open.

“Luke, you need to close your eyes,” Spencer tried.

“Why?” Luke asked.

“Because you need to know that your wife is real and your eyes will trick you,” he said as Dave slowly inched forward, clasping Luke’s clenched hand so he gave up the remote detonator and Luke closed his eyes. Derek inched around.

“I’m gonna handcuff you so you don’t hurt anyone and then we’ll bring Ally out.”

Inside the room, Ally and Piper slowly removed the barricades. “Ally, I need you to listen to me before we go out okay? Your dad isn’t feeling well and we’re gonna get him to a hospital. But the illness means that if he looks at you or your mom, he won’t believe you’re real.”

“He doesn’t know who I am?” Ally asked, her voice no greater than a whisper.

“He knows who you are, darling. But only when he hears your voice and feels your hug. He’s going to be blindfolded downstairs and then I’m gonna take you down, okay?” Ally nodded thickly, understanding softly and Piper raised her cell to her ear.

“Pipes?”

“Yeah, I’m here.”

“Jenna’s put the blindfold on Luke, you can bring Ally down now.”

“Okie doke. Bringing her down.” Piper quickly hung up the cell before holding out her hand. “You ready, kid?”

“Yeah,” Ally said, smiling despite herself as she took Piper’s hand and the doctor opened the door, guiding the 11-year-old out the catwalk and down the stairs before releasing her into her father’s arms. She let out a deep sigh as Spencer’s arm wrapped around her waist. They watched as the trio were led out to the elevators and escorted to an SUV that would take the family to the nearest hospital. She let her head fall back on Spencer’s shoulder, her short cut hair tickling his neck as he brushed his lips to the top of her head.

“You think he’s gonna be okay?” JJ asked, approaching them, surprised at how comfortable they were in showing affection in front of the entire office.

“Dunno,” Piper said, releasing herself from Spencer’s grasp before collapsing into her chair. “Most likely, he’s got a cerebral lesion in the occipital lobe,” she explained, and JJ raised an eyebrow. “But they’ll know for sure after a CT and MRI scan. Surgery is a viable option, but neurosurgery is tricky. The most effective treatment is to create a positive, welcoming environment where the person affected by the syndrome feels safe, like validation therapy,” Piper said, starting to ramble slightly.

“Okay,” JJ said. “Anyone up for dinner? I know a good Thai place,” JJ offered, which Spencer, Piper and Derek immediately agreed to. Rossi required a little more bullying, but he relented, and Emily was more than ready to join them. Derek offered to wait for Penelope and the team scattered. Dave left to grab his bag and Piper, Spencer and JJ walked to the parking lot together while Emily and Derek waited for Hotch and Penelope to make their way up in their separate offices before the four of them joined each other at the elevators. Before they could go in, Emily pulled Derek aside to address a doubt in her head.

“Hey, uh, Hotch didn’t order my takedown recertification,” she pointed out. “Do you wanna tell me what's really going on?”

“I just thought we both could use a refresher,” Derek said, glancing at the elevator which closed on Penelope and Aaron to take them up to the parking lot.

“You mean you thought I could use it,” she confronted him. “You're nervous about me being back.”

“Emily—”

“What, you think I'm gonna mess up the team's rhythm. I get it,” she admitted. “But just come out and say it.” He turned, making his way to the elevators to press the button going up. “Morgan,” Emily pleaded.

“Okay, fine. Yes, I am nervous,” he admitted. “But not about you. About me. Emily, I thought I lost you, and I blamed myself. Now, you're back, but I don't want to be worried about losing you again and get distracted.” Immediately, Emily understood.

“So, you wanted some reassurance.”

“Yeah, something like that,” he murmured.

“Morgan, I cannot imagine what you went through.”

“It was 7 months of hell.”

“How can I make it up to you?” Emily asked. “I will do whatever it takes.”

“Just give me 10 hours of training,” he asked.

“Okay, you got it,” Emily agreed with a smile as the doors opened.

“Shooting range on Sundays.” Derek walked in through the doors.

“I'm there.”

“And my morning coffee and a neck rub every day,” Derek finished as Emily pressed the button for the parking lot.

“Oh, buddy, you are reeeeally pushing it,” Emily said, making Derek smile broadly as the doors closed on them, ending a taxing day with smiles in elevators and laughter in restaurants.


End file.
